nutritional Archives - Damron Chiropractic & Wellness

Eat Smarter

July 1, 2016 By Pam Rezai Leave a Comment

Upon entering any grocery store one can feel a bit overwhelmed. We all want to eat smarter, but aside from increasing our fruit and vegetable intake and cutting out processed foods we may not know what to do next. We can walk the aisles, looking at all of our options, but not truly understand all that we were seeing. We may know that organic is the ideal, but what do the terms “all-natural” or non-GMO or “free-range” really mean? For that matter, is it really that important to know? What about the use of antibiotics and pesticides in the feed, how the animals are housed, and high levels of omega-3s? All that we find on the labels can be quite confusing.

The purpose of this blog post and the next four is to break down the food groups that create the most confusion:

Beef
Chicken
Eggs
Salmon

Hamburgers seem to be an American favorite, especially during the warmer months. The choices you will find in the meat department are numerous, from the cut of meat to the type of meat. You have probably heard the phrase, “You are what you eat.” The same is true with cattle. The beef they produce is in essence what they eat. If they are raised on grains with a mixture of antibiotics and hormones, rather than the grass they were intended to eat, then that is what you consume as well.

A favorite protein is chicken. This animal is meant to eat both grains and protein from insects. Much of the chicken consumed today has been confined to a cage and fed the same type of grain as that of the cattle. Grain that is laden with antibiotics and hormones. Now imagine the impact on the eggs that these chickens produce.

It is common knowledge that salmon is a healthy fish to eat. However, the means by which it is raised and/or caught can compromise its nutritional value. Clever names are given to project a different image. For example, did you know that Atlantic salmon is actually farm raised salmon? Why not just say farm raised?

The next four blog posts will dig deeper into what the best options are for you and your family when it comes to beef, chicken, eggs, and salmon. The more you know the better decisions you can make.

Surgery Is the Last Option

April 19, 2016 By Pam Rezai

When you have an accident or get injured, surgery should be your last option, not your first. Granted there will be times when it is apparent that surgery is required, depending on the severity of the injury. But many times we mistakenly jump to the conclusion that the body is unable to heal itself and surgery is needed. In fact, the surgical option can come with another set of potential issues and complications whether it’s a knee replacement or a herniated disc. So, if the situation permits, exploring other treatment remedies may not only heal you but also prevent a longer road to recovery.

Strengthening the affected area through a series of specific exercises can significantly reduce the chance of surgery if you are working with a credible professional that is trained to do just that. Being actively engaged in physical therapy over a set course of time, plus eating the right foods and taking the right nutritional supplements can help to heal the body, too. But what if after all the effort to correct the problem it doesn’t work? Well, then surgery can be your last option. Surgery is invasive, not a guarantee, expensive, and many times requires physical therapy afterwards. Why not try other options first?

Your body is an amazing organism made up of many complex systems. Given the chance, it has the ability to heal itself if given the right tools. Perhaps the injury occurred in the first place because we lacked balance and were weak. Perhaps we overexerted ourselves causing our body to stain. Perhaps we thought we were okay after a minor car accident only to wake up two weeks later in pain. Seeking a holistic approach to our body can provide great insight as to the true cause of our problem and eliminate countless visits to other doctors who may opt for surgery first.

Patience, along with rehabilitation, is really a virtue, especially when it comes to the well-being of our body.

Circle of Care

February 23, 2016 By Pam Rezai

Things at Damron Chiropractic & Wellness (DCW) are a little different than they are at other chiropractic offices. Most practices provide only one element of care to patients, that being chiropractic. While there is nothing wrong with this singular approach to wellness, we believe that there are ways to enhance it so that the benefits of chiropractic are maximized and retained. At DCW we provide a circle of care that incorporates three other therapies to every person we treat:

Massage Therapy
Rehabilitation
Nutritional Support

So, what is the significance to this methodology? Well, structurally, a body that is out of alignment will eventually go back to its original state after an adjustment if nothing else is done to support it. The muscles will work against the realignment, as they are use to holding the body in a certain way. Massage therapy works to loosen the muscles that are holding the body in a particular position. This in turn will improve the results of each alignment. Likewise, incorporating rehabilitation will strengthen those muscles to hold the body’s structure as it should.

Our body is designed to function a certain way; however, life sometimes gets in the way. Years of improper posture, accidents, childbirth, or aging can have a negative affect on how our body is aligned. Off-setting that with the care of a Chiropractor is providing your body with preventative maintenance, and coordinating that with massage therapy, rehabilitation, and nutritional support completes the circle of care.

Knowing that you have several wellness professionals working together to provide you with the best possible care should give you peace of mind. It should also tell you that DCW is interested in getting you well once again because our individualized care plans have an end in mind. This end is possible because we have strategically incorporated three other modalities that can truly support the benefits of chiropractic care.

The Road to Wellness

December 25, 2015 By Pam Rezai

Remember that great television ad from Staples featuring the easy button? Everything was resolved with the simple push of a button. It became such a hit that Staples began selling the actual easy button. If only life were that easy. As comical as it might be, reality tells us that many things in life just aren’t designed to be easy. When it comes to our own personal wellness journey, the road inevitable has a few bumps along the way. However, modern day medicine gives us the impression that there is an easy button that comes in the form of prescription medications. A quick fix for any ailment, hence the trend our society is facing today of increasing prescription use. The road to wellness has no use for an easy button because the easy fix does not address the underlying issue and is only a temporary solution.

A recent article from The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA, 11/3/15) highlighted the fact that society’s dependence on prescription drugs is continuing to increase. It also revealed an increase in those who are taking five or more medications as well. Five or more! With the number of side effects related with any medication, taking more than one at a time sounds like a recipe for disaster. How can someone know what “good” feels like if their body is dealing with the effects of the multiple medications they are taking?

While we might wish that there was an easy button when it comes to our health, it simply isn’t the case. What is is time, patience, knowledge, and work. Slowly unraveling the coils of a sedentary lifestyle with poor nutritional food choices. It took time to get us where we are at, it will take time to get us back to where we want to be. Toss out your misconceptions about wellness. There isn’t a band-aid approach that will fix things. There isn’t an easy button or prescription medications that will do the trick. What there is is you – your efforts, your commitment to yourself, your investment of time. A journey of wellness always begins somewhere, but where you go with it is completely up to you.

Menopause and Andropause

October 27, 2015 By Damron Chiropractic

By the year 2050, one in five Americans will be older than age 50, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. While getting older is a goal we all strive towards, we experience bumps along the road as our body ages. For a woman, a major bump is menopause, which marks the end of her reproductive period. For a man, he has a similar experience with andropause. Both have the ability to cause profound changes in a person’s life with the manifestation various symptoms. However, with a proactive approach through the care of a chiropractor, the bumps along the way can be minimized so that aging can be both healthy and happy.

The decline in hormones during menopause does not happen suddenly to a woman. Over a period of 6-8 years prior to menopause, the hormones estrogen and progesterone begin to fluctuate. This fluctuation leads to profound changes to a woman’s body and life. These changes include irregular periods, mood swings, irritability, hot flashes, night sweats, disturbed sleep, increased abdominal fat, and urinary problems. Additionally, after menopause, the likelihood of other health conditions increase as well, from bone loss and heart disease to memory loss and loss of libido. However, many of these symptoms can respond favorably to changes in nutrition, exercise, and dietary supplements. Interestingly, exercise is one of the most important and effective ways to prevent or improve these menopausal symptoms.

In men, the hormone testosterone begins to decline in their 50s. Just as with women, men can experience significant changes and health concerns during this period of life. Examples include loss of sexual function, weight gain, fatigue, bone loss, anemia, and declining muscle strength. Under the care of a chiropractor, a man experiencing andropause can help offset this change with exercise and dietary changes. A diet that incorporates a heart-healthy foods is the ideal such as the Mediterranean diet which is high in fruit, vegetables, whole grains and fish. There is a significant correlation between good cardiovascular health and improved sexual health.

Aligning yourself with a reputable chiropractor as your partner in healthy aging can provide you with the tools to increase the quality of your life, no matter what phase it may be.

A Good Health “Impression”

August 13, 2015 By Damron Chiropractic

What is a good health “impression”? Let’s start with a few simple analogies to help explain.

Growing up, we were told never to “judge a book by its cover.” If we did that we’d miss out reading a great book, simply because there wasn’t a great picture on the cover compelling us to open it. It’s interesting how a simple piece of advice can apply to other areas of our life. Take, for example, meeting a new person. Will we make a snap judgement about them without getting to know them? Or, what about purchasing a new home? Will we miss the potential in a piece of real estate because the house is in need of an exterior paint job? There is also a flip side to this lesson, as well. Do we make the assumption that a pretty package automatically makes something good for us? Common sense would tell us that it doesn’t. But how many times do we make the decision based on appearance alone for the sake of a good health “impression”?

When it comes to our health, the same philosophy can be applied. Judging our personal health by what we see on the outside can be deceiving. Deceiving and deadly. Many times, the last sign we see that something is wrong with our health is the one on the surface. Take, for example, high blood pressure, diabetes, inflammation, hormone imbalances, and nutritional deficiencies. Just because we can’t see the effects of these conditions doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Yet, how many of us do just that? It’s almost like we’d rather wait until it’s a four-alarm fire before we acknowledge there is a problem with our health.

The difference is choosing to be on the offense, versus the defense, when it comes to protecting our most cherished possession – our health. For too long, many of us have been on the defense, blocking the curve balls that life throws at us as we age. We seem to prefer reacting to health scares and challenges, rather than investing in prevention. But, what an easier road we could travel if we chose the offensive approach. Choosing to take the steps each and every day to give our body what it needs to serve us well. Daily steps such as:

Staying physically active
Getting the recommended sleep each night
Drinking alcohol with moderation
Not smoking
Eating a well-balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and lean protein
Creating a baseline of our health so we can anticipate problems before they arise
Learning to listen to how we feel each day
Advocating for ourselves
Relying less on the “truths” of big business and the media
Assuming less

Healthy aging requires nothing more than our willingness to not be passive any longer. To challenge the status quo so that we can reap the benefits with good health. Removing our assumptions enables us to enjoy a better quality of life, for ourselves and those we love.

Choosing Your Chiropractor

August 7, 2015 By Damron Chiropractic

Choosing a Chiropractor is not unlike choosing any other healthcare professional. It’s a very personal relationship where you truly feel he or she has your best interests at heart. But there are other things to consider as well because you are essentially advocating for yourself. Good health is our greatest asset and it should never be taken for granted. It needs to be earned through daily effort. Partnering with a Chiropractor can help you achieve and maintain this asset throughout your life. The key, however, is making sure you chose wisely.

There are many false stereotypes regarding Chiropractors, just as there are for other professions such as lawyers and politicians. Common sense tells us that we mustn’t judge a book by its cover, but that’s exactly what we do. We take hearsay and turn it into fact without investing the time to find out for ourselves the truth. The end result? Lost opportunity to benefit from the care and expertise from a committed professional. Rushing to a snap judgement means we’d rather follow what another says. Relying on unsubstantiated claims can have a negative impact on our lives. Take, for example, the marketing of several consumer goods over the decades: Tab, Olestra, nicotine, aspartame, MSG, and GMOs. We took for granted that because it was available, it was good for us. Years later we learned we were wrong.

Chiropractors are doctors that specialize in the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. They practice a drug-free, hands-on approach to healthcare. With broad diagnostic skills, they are trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, in addition to nutritional, dietary, and lifestyle counseling. They are also best known for providing spinal adjustments to help restore joint mobility that causes inflammation and pain.

But what other services does a chiropractor provide?

Diagnostic imaging
Nutritional supplements
Clinical examinations
Patient education
Electrical muscle stimulation
Transcutaneous electrical muscle stimulators (TENS)
Heat and ice therapy

However, did you know that there are also other value-added services that you should be looking for when choosing your chiropractor? Here are a few questions to consider as you explore your options:

Is massage incorporated with treatment?
What about rehabilitation?
How much time does the Chiropractor spend with each patient?
How are patients educated on achieving and maintaining wellness?
Is decompression as part of the treatment options?

Other ways to educate yourself on the philosophies of a particular Chiropractor is to check social media. Are there recent testimonials? Pictures of the practice, the doctor, the other team members? What about reviews? What is the general feeling regarding the practice?

When it comes to your health, never settle. A little homework can go a long way!

Adrenal Stress Diagnostic Testing

July 28, 2015 By Damron Chiropractic

Stress is a normal part of life. It has been since the dawn of time when the stress of living simply kept you alive. Today, stress means something entirely different. It means stress beyond primitive “flight or fight” response. It means subjecting ourselves to a lifestyle that keeps us running from the moment we wake until the moment our head hits the pillow. And while at it’s most basic level stress is not harmful, continuous exposure to it is. In fact, continuous exposure over long periods of time is so detrimental that it affects our body in profound ways. This opens the door for any number of chronic conditions that can stay with us for a lifetime.

So how do we know if stress has impacted our quality of life when stress has become such a norm that we may not know any different? The answer – diagnostic testing specifically geared at evaluating the functioning of the adrenal gland. This is the gland that is responsible for the hormones that help our body fight stress.

As a part of the endocrine system, adrenal glands are located on top of each kidney. The hormones they release are essential to supporting life. The role of these hormones in the body can be divided into seven functions:

Metabolism support
Blood pressure controller
Stress response
Immune system response
Inflammation suppression
Maintenance of salt and water balance
Sex hormone regulation

Stress is a major underlying cause of many chronic illnesses and overtime it can affect the level of hormones. Our body can develop conditions as a result of over- or under active adrenal glands such as Chronic Fatigue syndrome, disease resistance, impaired metabolism, diminished energy, and diminished emotions.

Utilizing an adrenal diagnostic test can open the door for healing. Diet changes, lifestyle modifications, and nutritional supplementation help the adrenal glands return to functioning as they should. When they are able to do that, the quality of life improves. A simple test can have a huge impact and that’s priceless.

Nutritional Diagnostic Testing

July 21, 2015 By Damron Chiropractic

Nutrition is the fuel necessary to sustain life. However, proper nutrition is the ideal from which our bodies thrive. Unfortunately, our Western diet of fried and processed foods tends to be the nutrition many of us sustain life with. This is not the fuel our body had in mind. Fried and processed foods require our digestive system to work overtime, searching for the nutrients it needs to sustain itself. Over time, a consistent diet of this nature leaves our body nutrient deficient, opening the door to the onset of many chronic illnesses. Nutritional diagnostic testing is a tool that provides insight into the core nutrients our body is receiving, plus determine deficiencies.

Understanding the unique profile of an individual can shed light on the root cause of many chronic conditions such as:

depression
anxiety
sleep disturbances
fibromyalgia
fatigue

Diagnostic testing to assess the nutrition our body is receiving reveals more than one might think. Overall malnutrition is gauged, which according to the World Health Organization is defined as “the cellular imbalance between the supply of nutrients and energy and the body’s demand for them to ensure growth, maintenance, and specific functions.” In addition to malnutrition, nutritional diagnostic testing can also detect:

malabsorption
vitamin deficiencies
toxin exposure
need for detoxification
antioxidant reserve to combat free-radicals
energy production
abnormal metabolism

The quality of the food we eat significantly impacts our body. Many times in such subtle ways that we aren’t even aware of it. Taking the time to look beyond the symptoms can save our body from needless suffering. Our body is designed to extract the nutrients it needs from food that it recognizes. Food like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. However, modern day conveniences have made the food virtually unrecognizable to our body. There are far too many ingredients and cooking methods that have fundamentally changed the type of food that we fuel ourselves with. The implications of this trend are obvious. Obesity rates are at an all time high, diabetes is common, and healthcare costs are soaring as a result of our poor choices.

Nutritional diagnostic testing can hone in on what exactly our body is deficient in. There is no guess work. All with a simple test.

Diagnostic Testing

July 14, 2015 By Damron Chiropractic

Sometimes it is necessary to shed additional light on our health in order to find the solution to the problem we are experiencing. By digging a bit deeper, we can reveal the true culprit of our symptoms so the issue can be resolved once and for all. This approach also eliminates the band-aid solution because sufficient time was not given to properly assess the situation. One of the tools utilized to shed this light is diagnostic testing. This advanced form of testing looks at a variety of functions within the human body to identify abnormalities in one or more its intricate systems. Diagnostic testing requires only one of three things – saliva, urine, or blood – which can uncover a wealth of information to help bring good health back.

At Damron Chiropractic & Wellness, we offer 6 different types of diagnostic testing to help us provide the answers you are looking for:

Gastro-Intestinal (GI)/Digestive
Nutritional
Hormonal – Male and Female
Adrenal/Stress/Thyroid
Allergy
Inflammatory

Depending on the reason for the visit, performing a diagnostic test may be exactly what Dr. Damron prescribes. The initial consultation may be enough to warrant this next step, but over the course of your visits, symptoms may appear that were masked by something else. Either way, this valuable tool can provide invaluable insight into how the body is functioning, what is contributing to the imbalance, and most importantly, what can be done to correct it. The bottom-line goal is to get back to wellness by giving the body exactly what it needs to thrive.

In addition to the samples of saliva, urine, or blood a simple questionnaire is also included. Questions that help create an overview of daily functions, activities, and experiences. Many times the answer is right in front of us, but we fail to see it simply because of how obvious it really is. Diagnostic testing can also validate our intuition. It can confirm what we have suspected all along. It is amazing how a person’s life can be transformed with the truth. For it is only by knowing the truth that progress can be made.

The next 6 blog posts will look at each type of diagnostic testing to give you a better understanding of their benefits.

Eat Smarter

Surgery Is the Last Option

Circle of Care

The Road to Wellness

Menopause and Andropause

A Good Health “Impression”

Choosing Your Chiropractor

Adrenal Stress Diagnostic Testing

Nutritional Diagnostic Testing

Diagnostic Testing

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Dr. Andrew Damron, Chiropractor

Dr. Greg Washam, Chiropractor

Brooke Snyder, Operations Manager

Nicole Foreman, Licensed Massage Therapist

Erika Pantona, Insurance Specialist

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